What Doctors Don't Tell You About Acne

Bummed out about blemishes? Hey, join the club: More adult women are suffering from problem complexions than ever before, with one recent study suggesting that an estimated 26% of those aged 31 to 40 are now afflicted with acne. And while there’s no cure, a comprehensive new review of earlier research suggests that diet might have more of an impact than experts previously suspected.

Investigators reporting in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics surveyed the history of research into diet and acne, dating back more than 100 years, says study co-author Jennifer Burris, MS, RD, a doctoral candidate in the department of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University. As early as the late 1800s, doctors were associating pimples with poor nutrition, but experts in the 1960s and 70s dismissed any potential connection. Now, the medical consensus appears to be shifting once again. “More recent research has really started to instigate the diet-acne connection,” Burris says. Indeed, her review found that in the past 10 years, several studies have shown that though a poor diet can’t cause acne, it certainly isn’t going to help it.

In particular, the review found that a diet heavy on dairy and foods with a high glycemic index rating (such as white bread or candy) might indeed contribute to the severity of acne. “As a dietitian, I really hate to label things that are 'bad',” Burris says. “We can’t really guarantee that diet will cure or improve acne severity, but the idea that it may influence it is not unreasonable.”

And a skin-friendly diet, which would be low in items like dairy, processed foods, and sweets, is also a nutritious one, adds study co-author William Rietkerk, MD. “Have the whole wheat bread instead of the white bread,” he advises. “If you want to start making healthier food choices, choose things that are lower glycemic index, as well as avoiding milk if it’s possible.”

Unfortunately, both Burris and Dr. Rietkerk warn against expecting instant results—there’s simply no magic bullet for acne, and switching to almond milk in your cereal won’t make zits disappear overnight. Instead, approach dietary changes with the same attitude as an acne medication, which can take months to kick in, Dr. Rietkerk says. “It takes at least four weeks for you to begin to see any significant changes [with acne medicine],” he says. “If you do try a dietary intervention, you’re going to need to be patient.”